Qinghai Winter Pear

Qinghai Winter Pear

　　The Winter Pear of Qinghai is a variety within the white pear group. It earned the name "Winter Pear" because it is harvested and set aside to be eaten in winter, when its flavor becomes particularly sweet and delicious. This pear variety thrives neither in hot and humid climates nor in harsh, freezing cold conditions. The region centered around Minhe, where summers are not excessively hot and winters are relatively mild, has naturally become a concentrated cultivation area for Winter Pears.

　　 Winter Pear trees have tall canopies, lush foliage, strong vigor, and long lifespans. Trees over 200 years old can still blossom and bear fruit, earning them the affectionate title "longevity stars" among fruit farmers. Along the Huangshui River region, it’s common to see Winter Pear trees over 100 years old still heavy with fruit, some individual trees yielding as much as 500 to 1,000 kilograms.

　　 The Winter Pears produced near Chuankou Town in Minhe County are of the highest quality. The fruits are oval or inverted-oval in shape, large and uniform, averaging about 250 grams each, with some weighing over 500 grams. When freshly picked, the skin is bright green, smooth, and covered with a thin layer of wax. After storage, the color turns yellow or golden yellow, with large, dense lenticels that stand out on the surface. The fruit has a shallow and narrow stem cavity and a deep, round calyx cavity. The flesh is white, fine-textured, crisp and tender, juicy and rich, with a pleasant balance of sweet and sour and a strong, fragrant aroma. The core is small, with few stone cells, indicating excellent quality. The Winter Pear is a late-maturing variety, typically ripening in mid to late October. Freshly harvested pears taste bland and firm, with higher acidity and lack the sweet, fragrant taste; they should be left to ripen fully before eating. Winter Pears store exceptionally well. When stored properly, they can last until the new pears of the following year come to market, meeting consumer demand year-round and allowing for long-distance transport. Fruit farmers usually store Winter Pears in cool, moist cellars and take them out to eat or sell during the winter and spring seasons when fresh fruit is scarce. A poem praises them: “When new pears are harvested, we eat the old; sweet as honeydew, lovely as syrup. Should immortals taste the Winter Pear, they’d forsake heaven to live on earth.” While pears are usually eaten fresh, Winter Pears also offer a unique flavor when cooked. During the cold season, when snow is falling and winds are biting, preparing a bowl of Winter Pear simmered with rock sugar and raisins creates a steaming, fragrant, sweet and delicious treat—exotic, appealing, and satisfying. After eating, it leaves the mouth moist, warms the body, soothes coughs, warms the stomach, and clears phlegm while nourishing the lungs.